The present invention is directed to a composting structure and in particular to a structure for composting materials in a continuous process.
Livestock operations create a tremendous amount of waste. This waste is mostly in the form of manure, but can also be animal carcasses and bedding materials.
Where manure is formed of wet solid materials, generally this material is piled up to compost. However, the resulting piles are unsightly and create an objectionable odour. In addition, it is very difficult to control the composting process taking place in the pile because of exposure to the elements and inadequate mixing and, thus, the material resulting from the composting process sometimes still contains a bad odour or hazardous bacteria.
Animal carcasses cannot be handled by most livestock facilities and must be transported offsite for rendering.
A composting structure has been invented that effectively handles manure waste and animal carcasses. The composting structure handles manure waste in a continuous manner such that no waste need be stored and all waste can be introduced directly to the structure.
In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a composting structure comprising: a pair of substantially parallel walls, a floor between the walls, an open input end to the floor between the walls and an open output end from the floor between the walls, a plurality of tubes to inject air from the floor between the walls, the tubes forming zones along the floor, each zone having an air flow therethrough that is selectable relative to flow through adjacent zones.
In one embodiment, the composting structure further comprises a long axis extending parallel with the walls and the zones extend substantially perpendicular to the long axis such that materials passing through the composting structure from the input end to the output end will pass through each of the zones.
The floor can be defined as a surface of granular materials in a pit and the tubes can be arranged in the granular materials. Alternately, the floor is solid and the tubes are imbedded in the surface of the floor.
The composting structure can include a blower to convey air through the tubes. The blower can feed air to each zone and a valve is positioned between each zone and the blower to control the flow of air into that zone.
In one embodiment, a turning device is supported between the walls and moveable therealong by a moving means, the turning device is extendable between the walls to a position just above the floor. For example, the turning device is supported and moved by a pair of wheels riding on the upper surface of the walls.
In a preferred embodiment, the input end and/or the output end is accessible by a tractor for transporting materials to and from the floor.
In accordance with another broad aspect of the present invention, there is provided a process for composting manure, the process comprising: providing a composting structure including a pair of substantially parallel walls, a floor between the walls, an open input end to the floor between the walls and an open output end from the floor between the walls, a plurality of tubes to inject air from the floor between the walls, the tubes separated into zones along the floor, each zone having a controllable air flow therethrough and selectable relative to flow through adjacent zones; loading manure onto the floor at the input end; moving the manure toward the output end; and aerating the manure by injecting air thereto from the tubes.
In one embodiment of the process, the tubes are separated into a first zone adjacent the input end and a second zone adjacent the output end and the process further comprising selecting the first zone to inject more air to the manure than the second zone. In another embodiment, the temperature of the manure is monitored and air is injected to the pile to maintain the manure above a temperature of 50xc2x0 C.